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Down and Derby in Studio G

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Thrills, chills and spills happening in Studio G in the Mohn Broadcast Center today. My assignment is to produce a promo spot for an upcoming station event. Our own, mild-mannered All Things Considered Host, Alex Cohen has an alter ego. Her name is "Axles of Evil," and she's the roller-derby trainer who taught Ellen Page, director and Drew Barrymore (who also appears on-screen in the movie) and the other actresses in the cast how to roll for "Whip It."

As I was searching for just the right music bed to give you the flavor of modern day roller derby girls, I soon realized some of the games are more serious than others, but some go so far as to be more of a wild and crazy Saturday Night Live style parody of traditional roller derby. In any case, these games are very entertaining, so if you have an opportunity to watch an all-girl roller derby game, don't miss it. One note... check with the organizers before bringing children to an all-girl roller derby game. Some (but not all) of the games feature rather risque uniforms and player nicknames and some (but not all) of the leagues allow or even encourage the girls to fight during the games. It's all in good fun, but it's good to know what to expect before you bring your kids. In fact, on this video, there were a few naughty words, but it passed the scrutiny of management to share with you.

Join KPCC's All Things Considered Host Alex "Axles of Evil" Cohen and co-author Jennifer "Kasey Bomber" Barbee on Wednesday, September 8th in KPCC's Crawford Family Forum as they read from their new book "Down and Derby: The Insider's Guide to Roller Derby." "Down and Derby" is a brassy celebration of every aspect of the sport, from its origins in the late 1800s, to the rules of a modern bout, to the science of picking an alias, to the many ways you can get involved off skates.Special guests include the LA Derby Dolls and the Angel City Derby Girls.For more information about the book, please visit http://www.down-and-derby.com